Picture the moment. You remove your cake from the oven and, from the smell alone, you know it's one of your best yet. Beautifully risen, the perfect colour - you're ready to decorate! But then, as you try to remove it from the tin, everything goes wrong. Figuring out how to get a cake out of a cake tin without any drama is something every baker has to learn!

Luckily, we have some advice to share to help you navigate this. AND we're joined by cake pro Sophie from The Cake Rubiks, who's here to share her top tips and tricks! You'll be removing your bakes from your cake tin with ease in no time when you follow this advice.

Contents:

Why do cakes stick to the cake tin?
How to line a cake tin
Tools you'll need
Step-by-Step Tin Lining
Other ways to prevent a cake sticking to a tin
What to do if you haven't prepped your cake tin

Why do cakes stick to the cake tin?

First things first, it's important to understand why cakes stick to the cake tin. Because cake batter is sticky, it is quick to bond with the surface it is sitting on. This means that, naturally, it will stick to the pan or cake tin.

Non-stick tins are a good investment, but even these can lose their effectiveness over time. The surface can become scratched, meaning that non-stick layer is worn away. This is why greasing or lining your cake tin every time is key!

Another reason you may find your cake has stuck to the tin is that you have tried to remove it too early. It's really important to allow your cake to cool down before taking it out of the tin. While the cake is still hot from the oven, it's more likely to stick to the sides!

How to line a cake tin

The good news about lining a cake tin is that it's really simple! We chatted to our cake pro friend Sophie over at The Cake Rubiks, who has shared her top tips and products to make it a breeze...

"With the rising costs of ingredients and materials I wanted to share one of my little hacks so you can easily get your cake out of its tin without spending extra pennies on specialised products. The good thing is, you should have most of these items already in your cupboard! So although it might take a few extra minutes, in the long run you’re saving money - and every little helps at the moment."

Tools you'll need:

• Baking paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Small amount of butter
• Kitchen roll

Step-by-Step Tin Lining

1. Start by tracing round the bottom of your cake tin onto the baking paper, making sure you’ve left enough room to cut around.

1. Next, cut inside the pencil line. This makes sure no pencil or markings come into contact with the cake itself.

1. You'll then measure the width of your cake tins and use this as a guide to slice the baking paper into strips. Cut the strips in half as this will make it easier to line the sides of your tin without any bubbles or ripples.

1. Apply a light coating of butter to your tins with kitchen roll, ensuring you cover the sides well as sometimes the baking paper can rise with the cake batter.

1. Adding the base liner in first, make sure this is in the centre. Now, taking the smaller strips, cover the sides of your tin.

"And voila – you’re done!

I know time is money, and money is time! But this little hack literally takes a few minutes and doesn’t require anything more than a roll of baking paper as opposed to purchasing multiple size tin liners or release spray.

After doing some quick maths, I approximately line 150 6-inch tins using one 20m baking paper roll. Now that’s a LOT of cakes..."

And once your cake is baked?

As you can see, taking the time to do this before putting your cake in the oven means that once your cake is baked, it will slide easily out of the cake tin. The baking paper lines the sides of the tin, therefore it will prevent the cake from sticking. This will make your life oh so much easier!

Thanks so much, Sophie - we really appreciate you sharing your method with us. Make sure you follow Sophie at @thecakerubiks on instagram for more top tips and beautiful creations!

Other ways to prevent a cake sticking to the tin

Lining your tin is one of the best options for preventing a cake from sticking to the cake tin, but it is not the only one. Here are a few alternatives to try out!

Grease the tin and add flour:

Use some softened (not melted!) butter to run over the entire inside surface of the tin. Then, to give it extra non-stick power, dust a little flour over the grease. This is a great combination that will encourage your bakes not to stick.

Can I use a non-stick spray:

Absolutely! To prevent your cake sticking to the cake tin, a professional, non-stick spray is a great option. The PME Release-A-Cake Spray is a pro baker favourite. Simply spray it across the surface of your tin before putting in your cake mix as normal.

Stock up on new, non-stick tins:

If your tins are looking a little worse for wear, treat yourself to a new set - it's amazing what a difference this can make. Old, scraped tins are a magnet for sticking. You can shop our range of cake tins here!

What to do if you haven't prepped your cake tin

We've all been there! Halfway through a cake's time in the oven, you realise you didn't prep the cake tin to avoid it sticking. There are a few things you can do to try to save a cake if this is the case!

First things first - allow the cake to fully cool. This means leaving it for around 30minutes before attempting to remove it from the tin! This may be enough, but when it isn't, try one of these methods...

Use a blunt knife

Take a blunt knife (or another narrow, blunt tool) and carefully slide it between the cake and the tin and run it around the edges. This will hopefully loosen any stuck pieces from the sides. Then, flip your tin upside down and gently tap the bottom of it to release the cake.

Steam it out

You can actually utilise stream to get a stuck cake out of a cake tin! Do this by wrapping a hot towel (dipped in hot water and wrung out!) around the cake tin to create steam. Leave it for around 10 to 15mins and this should help to release it.

Freeze it out

Using the opposite approach can also work! Turn your cake tin upside down and place a bowl of ice cubes on top. The cold temperature should make the cake contract slightly and, once you remove the ice and tap the bottom of the tin, it should slide out.

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We hope this post has helped you learn exactly how to prep a cake tin to avoid losing your hard work in the future! Sharing these tips and tricks with our cakey community is our favourite thing to do, here, and on our social channels. Follow us there to learn more - we're on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube!

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